1. Field of the Invention
Compact branch connector for at least one branch neutral cable into a main neutral cable and simultaneous grounding.
The present invention relates to a compact branch connector allowing to connect at least one branch cable into one neutral cable with simultaneous grounding.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Branch connectors are known which allow to make connections of one branch cable on a main or neutral line, by perforation of the insulating material.
These connections are independent for each phase, i.e. three connections are required for three-phased current, whereto the branch connection for the neutral cable and the ground connection are to be added.
The problem consists in providing compact branch connectors while reducing the size of these connectors and to allow grounding of the branch neutral connector in order to limit the number of components.
One of the restrictions imposed by specifications is to provide a secure connection, which means that the operator shall be certain, during the installation, that the connector is properly mounted. Therefore, the cables must be positioned with the highest precision and clamping operations must be assisted by torque meters, whereby satisfactory electric contacts can be ensured.
From patent application FR-A-2 744 289, a branch connector for an underground cable is known, which comprises two parts, an upper part and a lower part, fastened together by a central screw having means for controlling the clamping torque mutually exerted by the upper and lower parts.
In a plane perpendicular to the clamping direction, these two bodies have, on one side, a housing designed to accommodate the end/s of one or two branch cables and, on the other side, a housing formed by two half-grooves of the upper and lower parts respectively. Plugs ensure the seal of these housings when they are not used.
Two transverse conductive blades, also borne by the upper and lower parts respectively, perforate and cut at the same time the insulating sleeves of the main cable and of the branch cable to contact their conductive cores.
This invention proposes a connector for at least one branch neutral cable into a main neutral cable by simultaneously-acting grounding means, which has a high compactness, which allows to connect one or two branch neutral cables into a main neutral cable, which allows to orient the connector with respect to the cable and especially with respect to the other conductors, which includes installation aids, which is reliable and includes integrally molded parts for an optimized industrial production.
This invention relates to an electric connector for the assembly of at least one branch neutral cable into a main neutral cable of the type comprising a lower body and an upper body both having contact blades, means for accommodating these cables between the two bodies, as well as clamping means, and being characterized in that it comprises grounding means in contact with at least one of the blades.
These grounding means, according to a first variant, comprise a screw whose shank, oriented along the Z-axis, has a slot and a threaded end, designed to allow the passage through a hole formed in the lower body and to accommodate the end of a braid, as well as a nut.
In accordance with a second variant, the grounding means comprise a screw, oriented perpendicular to the Z-axis, whose head has a transverse slot, said screw having a threaded end and a nut to accommodate the end of a braid.
The braid, in these two cases, comprises a crimped terminal, with an eye for the passage of the screw shank.
According to a further variant, the grounding means comprise at least one hole formed in the lower body and opening on the external side of at least one of the blades, said hole being provided to accommodate the end of the braid.
In this case, the braid comprises a terminal with an eye fitting the hole profile.